Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-10

Col. Roger w. Hanson, of the Second on
federate Kentucky, led the advance. But
when they reached the right it was too late.
The Federal forces were already in possession.
Hanson was brave and accomplished Con-
federate officer. It is interesting to know
that he ard Buelsner both fighting men,
deemed the surrender of Tort Donelsou n
necessity after that. Hanson says in his re-
port:
II will take the liberty TO add that upto the
time when we were ordered back TO the
trenches our success was complete and our
escape secure.
ut is also my opinion that the exhaustion
of the men from labor and loss Of sleep, to-
gether with the Generalization caused by the
loss Of our trenches on the right, rendered
the surrender unavoidable"
When night closed in Wallace too had done
his work-regained the lost ground and
cleared the hill Just when that was done,
and he was within few hundred feet of the
Confederate intrenchments, be received an
order from Grant to halt and fall back. Wal
lace disObeyed tic order He felt sure the
general did not know his movement had been
successful So he took his own head for it,
and bivouacbed on the field just where lie
was, close TO the Confederates, ready in the
morning to be up and at them. But when
morning came the suns first rays shonc upon
a bugler, carrying n white flag from Buckner
to Grant Buckner's message proposed the
appointment Of commissioners to agree upon
terms Of capitulation. Grants reply has be-
come histories
"No terms viii be granted except an uncon-
ditional and immediate surrender. propose
,,,.,x7a ts,4odinfa1.y pr,f,f, xrn,ts, WORDS
Buckner wrote backs "The distribution OF
the forces under my command, incident to
an unexpected change Of commanders, and
the overwhelming force under your com
mand, compel me, notwithstanding the bril-
liant success Of the Confederate arms yester-
day, to accept TIE Ungenerous and unchival-
rous terms which YOU PROPOSE
So on that Sunday morning, Feb, ~, 1862,
the Confederate forces surrendered 20 Grant,
and the story Of Fort Donelson was told.
Buclner had good reason 70 be IN an I'M
pleasant frame of mind that morning. At
midnight the night before a council Of war
was held between himself and Pillow and
Floyd Buclner told them his men could not
stand more than half an hours fighting
Hunger, cold and exhaustion had done their
work at last Besides, there was no more
ammunition. If his men tried to escape
three-quarters Of thom must be lost 70 save
the other quarter Surrender was the only
thing
Floyd and Pillow said they would not sur
render, they would die first Then Floyd
handed over the supreme command Of the
fort 60 Pillow, who in turn transferred it 10
Bucliner, who surrendered the fort. Pillow,
with some of his immediate personal COM
mand, crossed The river upon a seow and
made good his escape, Two small steamers
from up the river came about daylight TO the
landing They took Floyd and some Of his
men up the river Forrest and his cavalry
escaped on horseback. The two steamers con-
tanned Confederate re-cnforcements who were
dumped out upon shore. Then Floyd's uscn
boarded the boats. Tho conduct of himself
and Pillow was regarded as uns0ldierly, and
was made the subject Of q searching inyosti-
CATION from the Confederate government In
an official letter 10 the Confederate secretary
of war Pillow thought that, considering the
sacrifices be had made for the Confederacy,
and "the large and dependent family Of
grown up and unmarried daughters on his
hands, be had been very stability treated.
Of the forces engaged IN this great fight
there were Of Confederates all told, some
thing over 1900; OF Federals, q 900 Tho
best estimate Of tho Confederate killed and
wounded makes them about 1900. OF the
Union forces the killed, wounded and missing
aggre gated 1929.
The troops Of Grants army at DOnelson
wero mostly western men, many Of them
from Illinois and Indiana. One remarkable
fact in this fight IS the number IF men who
afterward became distinguished that took
part in it. Hundreds Of men aftcrward
famous both in military and civil life fought
there those fateful days.